Justin prosecutes cases of retaliation, harassment, and discrimination in employment, housing, and other areas. He also litigates labor law, wage, non-compete, consumer, and constitutional claims. In addition, Justin provides strategic advice to individuals and labor organizations in non-litigation as well as contractual matters. Justin has taught courses on employment law and civil rights litigation at the University of Minnesota Law School and Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and he spearheaded the development of the Workers’ Rights Clinic at the University of Minnesota. He is also past Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Law Section and...

John retired from the United States Marine Corps as a Gunnery Sergeant after serving twenty-two years in various infantry, artillery and administrative capacities in numerous locations within the United States and around the world. John chaired the initiative to start Veterans Courts in Minnesota and has traveled the country assisting in setting them up. Additionally, John travels the country teaching law enforcement how to deal with veterans in crisis. John was a 2010 Attorney of the Year recipient.

Christopher D. Jozwiak is a skilled litigator who has won striking victories on behalf of his clients in a diverse range of employment issues. He is a founding partner of Baillon Thome Jozwiak & Wanta LLP and has been recognized as a Rising Star since 2011 and a Super Lawyer since 2014 and was named to the Best Lawyers in America 2018 list for his work in employment law. Chris works tirelessly for his clients in cases involving whistleblower retaliation, sexual harassment, wage and hour violations, reprisal, discrimination, and wrongful termination. He also represents employees and consumers in national class...

Clayton Halunen is the founder of Halunen Law, a law firm that represents employees, consumers, and whistleblowers in individual and class actions. Under his leadership, Halunen Law has achieved a reputation as a fearless, tenacious and successful plaintiffs’ law firm, with a laser focus on achieving justice for its clients as well as meaningful social change. Halunen has successfully tried to verdict discrimination, harassment and whistleblower cases. He has obtained millions of dollars for his clients in awards and settlements, including a recent million-dollar whistleblower case on behalf of a terminated administrator against a local for-profit college, one of the...

Bryan R. Battina represents businesses and individuals in commercial litigation, real estate litigation, and employment law matters. Bryan, a seasoned litigator and trial attorney, brings passion, tenacity and hard earned wisdom to his advocacy for clients. He is results driven and seeks to efficiently and effectively resolve disputes for his clients. After graduating from William Mitchell College of Law, Bryan worked as an associate in-house counsel with the Beltmann Group Incorporated before becoming a sole practitioner to pursue his passion for trial work. Bryan co-founded Bock & Battina, LLP and later founded Battina Law, PLLC before joining Trepanier MacGillis...

Joshua Newville is a civil trial and appellate attorney focusing on employment law, business disputes, and civil rights matters. He practices in state and federal court in multiple states and is a passionate advocate for victims of discrimination and unfair treatment.

Joshua has won victories at the Minnesota Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals, and various state and federal trial courts. He led the successful fight for marriage equality in both South Dakota and North Dakota, secured protections for undocumented workers in Minnesota, and has emerged as an expert authority in civil rights litigation. Joshua is a frequent speaker...

James C. MacGillis is a business attorney focusing on the corporate, employment, and litigation needs of entrepreneurs and growing businesses. Jim prides himself on exceeding his clients’ expectations by addressing their legal concerns promptly, efficiently, and effectively. His responsiveness, creativity, and ability to efficiently evaluate, advise, and advocate for his clients has earned him the respect of his peers, as Jim was named a 2006, 2009 and 2010 Rising Star by Minnesota Super Lawyers magazine. Jim graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1997, where he was a managing editor for the Minnesota Law Review. Jim earned a...

Barry O’Neil is a trial attorney, who is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the Minnesota Bar Association. Mr. O’Neil’s practice involves the resolution of complex commercial disputes, professional liability claims, employment-related issues and insurance claims. A significant portion of Mr. O’Neil’s practice is in the area of professional liability defense with emphasis in legal malpractice. Mr. O’Neil is the practice group manager of the firm’s Trials and Litigation Practice Group, and he also heads Lommen Abdo’s entertainment litigation initiative.
Mr. O’Neil has extensive experience in employment litigation including all types of employment discrimination claims, and he has additionally acted...

Matthew S. Nolan is of counsel with Baillon Thome Jozwiak & Wanta LLP. He has practiced exclusively on behalf of employees in the area of employment law and has litigated cases in state and federal court. His practice has been focused on employee advocacy and providing legal counsel and representation to employees who have been harmed by their employer through unlawful discrimination, retaliation and harassment, as well as wage and hour violations.

I'm a trial lawyer. I'm grateful for the opportunity to fight for justice on behalf of individuals going through hard times against some of the largest corporations in the country.

After law school, I joined the Marine Corps and served as a judge advocate. There's no better training ground for a trial lawyer - I tried over 100 felony and misdemeanor cases. I'm proud of the results I got, including one of the first successful defenses of a Marine discriminated against based on sexual orientation. I deployed to Iraq in a nation building capacity to work with...

Rob Kane's practice consists primarily of counseling and representing individual and business clients on matters involving general business law, government relations, employment law, and contracts. He has over seven years of experience practicing law. He works with established businesses as well as entrepreneurs and growing businesses to assist with their legal requirements. He prides himself on understanding your business needs and responding promptly, efficiently and effectively.
Rob can assist you right from the beginning, when you are deciding on a business form (corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or another business entity), as well as during business growth. He can negotiate...

Kelly M. Dougherty represents clients in business, commercial litigation, and employment law matters. She is also building her practice in entertainment and copyright law. Kelly is committed to performing high quality legal work and exceeding client expectations. She enjoys counseling clients through all aspects of business and employment disputes. She has experience in commercial litigation, non-compete, sales representatives, workplace drug and alcohol testing, minority shareholder rights, and severance agreement matters. Prior to joining Trepanier MacGillis Battina P.A. as an associate attorney, Kelly worked for the firm as a law clerk. Kelly was previously employed by The...

Chris Kuhlman represents everyday Minnesotans in high stakes litigation against some of the most powerful entities in the country - large corporations, insurance companies, and government agencies. He relishes representing the underdog and proudly represents Plaintiffs in wrongfully termination and sexual harassment matters, citizens who have been subjected to excessive force at the hands of the police, and those wrongfully accused of a crime they did not commit. As a small boutique trial firm in Minneapolis, Kuhlman Law takes on a select number of cases that need to be brought and fights tirelessly for his clients.

He has worked as an investigator, public prosecutor and private counsel. Mr. Neff has served on the Hennepin County Public Defender's Conflicts Panel, the Hennepin County Juvenile Justice Panel, and various bar association committees. He handles complex litigation including multi-district litigation, wrongful death, large employment cases and qui tam cases.

I have thirty years of experience practicing employment and business law. Having served as an attorney in private practice, a contract attorney for Northwest Airlines, and an In-House Counsel for CP Rail, I have diverse experience in representing and advising clients on various legal matters. I have extensive experience advising businesses and individuals on how to comply with the law. I have worked with corporations to develop pro-active strategies to ensure corporate compliance with State and Federal laws. My background and experience includes:

• Thirty years of experience in employment and business law, 15 years as legal counsel to a...

Brendan leads the firm’s labor law practice. He has handled numerous judicial, administative, and arbitration proceedings, including many high-profile appellate cases. Brendan also has drafted legislation and policies adopted by State and Local governments, and he routinely develops cutting-edge organizing strategies for the firm’s union clients.
Brendan has served on the Governing Council of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Law Section. He also has taught at Northwestern University School of Law, the University of Minnesota Law School, and William Mitchell College of Law. In addition, Brendan has published articles in the American Bar Association Journal of Labor &...

In 2012 and 2015, Minnesota Super Lawyers recognized Matt as a “Rising Star,” which is an honor that less than three percent of Minnesota’s young attorneys earn. In 2014, the National Trial Lawyers recognized Matt as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer for his exemplary leadership, reputation, influence, stature and profile as civil trial lawyer.

I have been in private practice since 1983 with primary focus on employment law and employment discrimination of all types. My practice also include civil litigation including personal injury, commercial and probate.

I practiced criminal law in California for 16 years and continue to practice criminal law in both the State and Federal Courts in Minnesota. I was honored as an attorney of the year from the San Diego Criminal Defense Bar Association in 2002. I have handled and tried cases to juries in everything from petty theft, DWI, and minor drug cases to very serious robberies, burglaries and homicides. I have won numerous cases and most recently won a felony sexual assault appeal and then won the jury retrial in the case in Washington County Minnesota in 2010.
I...

Cody J. Blades graduated from Mitchell Hamline School of Law by way of Hamline University School of Law in 2014. After graduation, she clerked for the Honorable John R. Rodenberg at the Minnesota Court of Appeals. In September of 2015, Cody started as an Associate Attorney with Madia Law.

At Madia Law, Cody works on finding justice for clients that have been wrongfully arrested and unlawfully terminated. She's also helped garner favorable verdicts in 4 jury trials.

In her free time, Cody enjoys spending time with her family outdoors, running, and drinking coffee.

John is the founder of the Minneapolis employment and civil rights litigation firm of John A. Klassen, P.A. He received law degrees from the University of British Columbia (1992) and Seattle University (1993).
Since 1994, John has practiced exclusively in the areas of employment and civil rights law. He has represented employees and victims of civil rights violations throughout the United States, in the areas of harassment and discrimination law, False Claims Act/Qui Tam claims, whistleblower law, wage and hour disputes, class action claims, employment contract disputes, and sexual abuse. Employees consult with him on a regular...

Universidad Catolica Andres Bello: Abogada 1999.
Hamline University Law School: Master of Laws 2001.
William Mitchell College of Law: Juris Doctor 2003.
Licensed to practice in Venezuela, and before the Minnesota Supreme Court and the United States District Court.
Fluent in Spanish and English
Faculty at National American University: Paralegal Program
Currently serving as a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association Diversity Committee.

Bob served as the Minneapolis City Attorney for nearly two decades, advising all elected and appointed officers, department heads, and employees. As City Attorney, he also litigated numerous cases and served as labor relations and licensing counsel. In addition, Bob has served as President of the International Municipal Lawyers Association and the Minnesota Municipal Lawyers Association as well as an Administrative Law Judge for the State of Minnesota. In private practice, Bob has focused on both public sector and private sector labor and employment matters.

Mr. Satre has over 29 years of legal experience practicing almost exclusively in the area of employment litigation. He has litigated numerous, high profile sexual harassment cases involving large parties including: The Stroh Brewing Company; Hooters of America; Pfizer; and many other national and international companies. Mr. Satre is a former Board Member of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Employment Lawyer’s Association. Mr. Satre’s highly esteemed reputation as an authority in the employment area has resulted in him receiving numerous awards. Mr. Satre’s peers have recognized him as a “Super Lawyer” many times...

Jack E. Pierce is a Minnesota-based lawyer with the firm Bernick Lifson. His areas of focus include business and real estate litigation. In addition to trial experience, he has argued cases before federal courts of appeals and the Minnesota Supreme Court. Trials he has participated in have covered issues related to employment and shareholder disputes, construction defects, and real estate disagreements. In his work, Jack places an emphasis on advising clients on how to avoid litigation, as a means to avoid going to trial in court. In his free time, Jack enjoys volunteering at a local high school as a...

Drew McNeil is a Minnesota-based lawyer with the firm Bernick Lifson PA. Drew specializes in issues including commercial litigation, employee and labor law, real estate litigation, business transactions, landlord/tenant law, and real estate litigation. Drew received his J.D. from University of Minnesota School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude in 2012 and his B.S. from University of St. Thomas, where he graduated summa cum laude in 2009. During his time in law school, Drew served as managing editor of the Minnesota Law Review. Before joining Bernick Lifson, Drew clerked for the Federal Trade Commission’s Midwest Regional office in...

Frances E. Baillon is a recognized advocate for those who have been treated unfairly by the illegal practices of employers. A founding partner of Baillon Thome Jozwiak & Wanta LLP, Frances litigates and tries employment cases in state and federal court involving sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation. She has also successfully argued cases before the Minnesota state and federal district courts, the Minnesota Court of Appeals, the Minnesota Supreme Court, and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Frances has consistently been named a Super Lawyer and Rising Star by her peers. She was recognized as a Top 50 Minnesota...

Beth E. Bertelson is the founder of Bertelson Law Offices, P.A., located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Focusing her practice on labor and employment law, she represents employees in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and throughout Minnesota in litigation and pre-litigation negotiations in matters involving severance, employment and noncompete agreements, and related issues. Certified as a specialist in labor and employment law by the Minnesota State Bar Association, Ms. Bertelson also mediates employment disputes and has been designated as a "qualified neutral" under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice for the District Courts. She also assists clients in a...

Employment law governs the relationship between workers and their employers. This law, contained in federal and state statutes, administrative regulations, and judicial decisions, specifies the rights and restrictions applicable to each party in the workplace.

This area of law regulates such issues as employee benefits, discipline, hiring, firing, leave, payroll, and health and safety in the workplace. It also encompasses non-compete agreements, retaliation, severance, unemployment compensation, pensions, whistle-blowing, worker classification, wage garnishment, work authorization for non-U.S. citizens, worker's compensation, and employee handbooks.

Both federal and state laws govern the relationship between employees and employers. Federal laws such as Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibit employers from discriminating against employees based on certain characteristics. Many states have enacted their own laws similar to federal ones (and sometimes are more stringent). Cities and counties also can enact ordinances that affect employee rights, such as local minimum wage laws.

Employment lawyers can choose to accept only employees as clients, only employers, or both. Some attorneys focus on a specific area of employment law, such as workers' compensation, whistleblowing or discrimination, but many can handle a wide range of employment law issues.

Essential job functions:
The fundamental job duties of the employment position that the individual with a disability holds or desires. The term essential functions does not include marginal functions of the position.

Exempt employee:
An employee who is not entitled to the minimum wage or overtime pay protections of the Fair Labor Standards Act.